St. Paul Encampment Remains on Contaminated Soil
The site at Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road contains hazardous levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury with no cleanup planned.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Home Cleaning
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An encampment at the intersection of Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road in St. Paul remains occupied despite being designated a state environmental priority site. The land contains hazardous levels of lead, arsenic, and mercury in the soil.
Why it matters
The site is officially categorized as a state superfund site due to soil toxicity, but legislative inaction has stalled remediation efforts. Because cleanup funds were denied by state lawmakers, the area remains a lingering health hazard for those currently living there.
The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency has identified the site at Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road as a state superfund location. While the area is marked with no trespassing signs, state lawmakers have declined to allocate cleanup funding for the contaminated soil.
The players
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
A state agency responsible for monitoring environmental hazards and maintaining safety at designated superfund sites.
The details
The site contains significant concentrations of lead, arsenic, and mercury, which are heavy metals that pose severe health risks. The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency manages the area as a state priority site, using signage to warn against unauthorized entry to prevent contact with the contaminated ground. Unlike federally designated Superfund sites, this location relies entirely on state-level funding for remediation, which has not been granted.
Timeline
Ongoing presence of encampment and site toxin monitoring.
The Home Front
The Randolph Avenue site status reflects the limitations of state superfund site designation in securing remediation compared to federal cleanup programs. This highlights the gap between identifying local environmental hazards and funding their resolution.
Residents should remain aware of the health risks associated with the soil in the Randolph Avenue and Shepard Road area. If you live or work near state-marked priority sites, verify safety information directly through the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.
The takeaway
Toxic soil at the Randolph Avenue site poses a persistent health risk that remains unaddressed due to funding gaps. Residents are encouraged to respect all posted warnings and stay informed on state cleanup priorities via official agency alerts.
Further reading
Learn more about local environmental safety at the Home Cleaning section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WTOP.
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